~ ∞ ~ On Change and Transformation 2/3 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

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Through this book, I invite you to consider that we may need a whole new worldview to navigate this challenging time we face today. As such, let this book be a testament of great transformation; a collective message from those who paved the way for the future generations – sending reverberations through time and space to remind ourselves that the Human Spirit is free, and is not limited or defined by physical bonds or traditional thinking. Years from now, when we look back at this time, we will celebrate our efforts in making a lasting impact that still ripples beyond the surface, remembering that it was the turning point for humanity.

When we look around us, we can see that the transformation has already begun to take place, and will continue to do so at an ever increasing pace. Indeed, there is a shift in the perception as to what is important in life – something fundamental is shifting in the way we human beings are; in the way we think and relate to the world and to one another – see? When it comes to ongoing transformation, it should be reminded that we humans are particularly good at putting off the inevitable – it often takes a crisis of monumental proportions to get us to change our ways.

If history is any indication, every civilization reaches a crisis point eventually, and most of them don’t make it. It is sad but very true – only at the precipice do we evolve; and even then, only a few do. Now the question becomes: Aren’t we already experiencing such a crisis? Taking that into consideration, one should be inclined to ask the following question: Why is it that we are in the midst of this crisis in almost every area of life? What has caused this to happen? Is it our hubris, our self-delusion of our self-sufficiency, self-importance, and self-righteousness that has driven us to the point of no return?

Furthermore, could it be that everything we see unfolding around us today has its roots in our hubris? Have we become to deteriorate and fragment from within? Now, if that is indeed the case, then it is rather easy to arrive at the conclusion that we are, indeed, suffering from a disease that is eating us from within – a spiritual disease of immorality and inhumanness, inauthenticity and insincerity.

Hence, it goes without saying that there is only one of two ways this can go: humans are active participants in this transformation, co-creating the best possible world for themselves, or they can passively watch by as everything old falls apart – leaving nothing but a blank slate; very little, if anything to build upon. Either way, the transformation of humanity is inevitable. In other words, there’s no way we can keep using old, outdated and outmoded ways of thinking and being in today’s world; and certainly not in tomorrow’s world.

Hence, it goes without saying that it requires not only new ways of living and being, doing and acting, but also new ways of thinking and seeing to move us away from the path of self-destruction to the path of peace, harmony and balance. The sooner we embrace the new emerging worldview, the sooner we leave the current path of destruction we’re on and stride down the path which ensures that not only do we as a species survive, but that we experience and realize transcendental aspects of existence.

Indeed, as mentioned earlier, we live in times of profound transformation where centuries old modern industrial world is coming to an end and a new world is being born; and so it seems that we have been given a chance for choice – our individual choices are combined with the choices of others – which in and of themselves are shaping the world that is being born.

It is clear that theology, philosophy, psychology, and science are converging at the point where each is seeking to answer the central questions of our existence. From this, it becomes obvious that the possibility of choice is focused on bringing into being a new kind of understanding of what life is about.

Upon deeper examination, it becomes not only clear but self-evident that as we go through this time of profound transformation, it will be a bumpy ride that is ahead of us; with it comes some growing pains, but also great benefits to be gained. Indeed, these are the times of teaching as well as the times of testing, which make us stronger in Spirit – it will be a time to choose, but a time to expand as well.

It will be a time to teach the world to cooperate, to come together, to bring us back to a point where there would be compassion, understanding, and care for all. It will be a time to find answers to some very significant questions about life; a time to explore what it means to grow and mature spiritually, what it means to transform and transcend oneself. This testing time will show how wonderful the Soul within the body can be, and people will touch upon the Divine within, you see?

Those who have foreseen this time, have returned here – to this place, to this time; they are here once again, by their own volition. They are here, at the beginning of this great transformation – guiding, directing, assisting and teaching humans, as is the case here, through this book – see? But eventually, it shall come to pass, as it has been written in the Book of Life, that humans will find their way out of the circumstances they now see themselves being plagued with.

Those who have foreseen this time, have returned here also for their own development, so that they might enjoy this testing time, to see if they can be tested to overcome their inadequacies, to avoid temptations, to accumulate their basic understanding so that they are, indeed, more aware; to be fully aware, to become Self-Realized, then to be fully Awakened or Realized – see?

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

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[ Click » here « to read the next part: On Change and Transformation 3/3 – Prologue: Part X ]

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Extra Material: Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"

~ ∞ ~ On Change and Transformation 1/3 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

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One of the central themes of this book is transformation – and thus, here, in this chapter, we will have a brief discussion about this underlying key aspect of this work. Before we go any further, it is important to emphasize the fact that both change and transformation can be either beneficial or detrimental, which is another way of saying that we as the collective human species can either evolve or devolve, depending on the choices we make.

In this book, when we talk about transformation, we are talking about conscious transformation – self-directed, mindful process of self-exploration that can transform one’s life; and not only that, but also the transformation of society, as well. You may consider this discussion as a starting point for a deeper exploration of the subject.

We begin this chapter by giving some basic definitions, namely change and transformation. These closely related terms are often used interchangeably, but the question is: Are they really the same? Well, the short answer is no, they are not the same. There is indeed a clear distinction between change and transformation. This leads to a follow-up question: What is the difference between the two? Let us explore this further and find out, shall we?

By definition, change is something that uses external influences to modify actions to achieve desired results. In contrast, transformation happens from within – it doesn’t require any external influence to maintain. Change is often temporary and can be reverted. In contrast, transformation is permanent. Change is an incremental alteration to the existing processes, whereas transformation is a completely new process.

Change is about improving something to be more, better, efficient. Transformation, on the other hand, invents or redefines a whole field, paradigm*1, process. Transformation is a clear change from one state to another. In other words, transformation is a breakthrough into a whole another level entirely.

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*1 A paradigm is the collection of ideas and assumptions that pass from one generation to the next and which seem to be immutable. The paradigm shift, then, is when the paradigm shifts. In this process, everything that no longer serves its purpose – begins to fade away, to be replaced with something else; and with it goes all the old, outdated and outmoded structures that are limiting us. This in turn gives way to a new understanding, a new way of seeing, a new way of living, being, and doing. Paradigm shifts are necessary for growth and transformation. This area is explored more in detail in the section titled INFINITE, in a chapter Metaphysical Paradigm Shift.

To give an example: as the caterpillar hangs itself up to begin its transformation, its skin hardens into a chrysalis. Inside this chrysalis, deep in the caterpillar’s body, tiny cells called ‘imaginal cells’ begin to form. What happens next is nothing short of a miracle: once in the cocoon, the buds – essentially, stem cells – link up and build a butterfly from the chrysalis fluids. A butterfly is a transformation, not a better caterpillar – see?

The miracle of metamorphosis in one species is just one facet of a much bigger story. You see, all Creation is in process of transformation, in process of returning to, and, into the fullness and awareness of its Source. We too are in process of transformation, but unlike the caterpillar, we have the privilege of having choices; through our free will, we can work with the dynamic of transformation, or against it. The way we make our choices will determine the future of human life on Earth, you see?

That said, we can move the conversation forward by pointing out the obvious: humans generally lack the will to evolve, change, or transform and transcend beyond self-imposed limits. This has a much greater impact than most realize – not only on the individuals themselves, but also on the society and the environment, as well.

Indeed, it is the lack of will that impedes from following the way of wisdom, which is another way of saying that the weakness of will, combined with ignorance is causing people to wander in complete oblivion. As such, most people live their lives with little thought of who they are, why they are here, or where they are going. By the same token, we can say that most people are moving through their lives completely unconscious, without present moment awareness.

Now, someone might point out that these people live their lives in this way by their own volition. Well, if that’s the case, then what does that say about us? That we choose ignorance over truth, blindness over sight, and in the end – stagnation over transformation?

Clearly, we are well aware that we have a choice – in everything we do, in every moment, in the whole of life, between creation and destruction, yin and yang, as it were. For you see, everything is a choice – even not to choose is still a choice; we can decide to have life “do us,” or we can choose to “do life,” the choice is ours to make – see? And here we enter into the territory of free will, which is another topic of its own, and is therefore covered later in this book.

In the context of transformation, it is necessary to ask the following question: How can anyone change or go through transformation of any kind, if they don’t know where they are falling short? Cultivating the present moment awareness throughout the day is the key in solving this issue. It is through mindfulness that we can become aware of our thoughts, feelings, emotions, physical sensations, and behaviors – the way we think, speak, and act – see?

By exploring our direction in life with self-awareness we open to the possibility of following the path of wisdom. With mindfulness, one can become aware of how and why one reacts to events or situations instead of responding impulsively due to past conditioning. With mindfulness, one can transcend this perceptual conditioning that separates us from universal wisdom; one then no longer experiences life through the narrow limits of conditioned perception – see?

This brings us inexorably here – to realize that we have come upon a time of convergence, a turning of the tides. As we head into the third decade of the 21st century and beyond, it is more clear than ever before: we as the collective human species are in dire need of conscious transformation – this will only become more pronounced as years pass.

Consequently, we need a catalytic process – a change of perspective, a spiritual awakening. By going through this process, we could reclaim our ancient ways of seeing and awaken ourselves to the world-wide awareness of our inherent Divine nature.

In the beginning stages, it all boils down to personal transformation – a change of perspective, transformation of one’s life; leading us to a point where we can experience a transformation of the world itself. This, in turn, can lead to the emergence of a collective awakening, which holds the potential for a balanced world where humans are conscious participants in the evolution of their cultures, and even of the entirety of human society, as well, you see?

Should we choose, both as individuals and as a species, to utilize our free will to rewrite our story, and consciously take part in our future growth and expansion, integration and transformation – is entirely up to each and every one of us.

Here we arrive at an important point: we may have a desire for change, but the honest truth is that it’s not enough – change has to come deep from within; and it to be permanent, what we need is transformation. You see, if we want our outer world to change, we must transform ourselves, and to do that, we need to have the will to change our ways, the will to change our values, the will to change our attitudes – see?

Having said that, it is worth pointing out that each generation comes into this world thinking they can make the world a better place – eventually ending up making the same realization: we cannot change the world without changing ourselves.

Therefore, it is essential to understand that change always begins with ourselves – we must be willing to change ourselves to change the world; to develop we must grow; to grow we must change, and to change we must transform. The world itself will change as the people on Earth themselves change – see?

And so it goes that at the moment, we find ourselves at a crossroads – a point of no return, where a decision has to be made: Do we continue our old ways, repeating our past mistakes, or do we take the critical first step towards the process of adaptation, change, and transformation? Do we move forward towards a bright future, or do we follow the old worldview and plunge deeper into oblivion?

The question facing humanity at this critical juncture in human history – a time of convergence, a turning of the tides, is whether we are willing to take up the responsibility and opportunity to grow, ripe and mature?

Will we embrace our inherent unity, interconnectedness, and interdependence as the collective human species and self-consciously adapt to the new conditions of our existence, or do we cling to inherent patterns of belief and behavior that are driven by ignorance and hubris – and learn the lessons of interdependence the hard way, through the deepening social and ecological consequences of a failure to adapt, change and transform?

Furthermore, are we willing to do what needs to be done to make things better, to keep things balanced, to be the best we can be? If we can answer yes to this, then we will find the way; we are the process – the way, you see?

This process implies not only the change and transformation of the individuals, but also the structure of society that will reflect the underlying principle, or truth, of the oneness of humanity. This principle entails the emergence of a consciousness that recognizes and acknowledges this oneness, which in turn establishes equality between all people, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, nationality, language, and culture, you see?

What will our future hold is but anyone’s guess – what matters most is the truth that our future is ours to envision, discover and co-create together, learning from one another and helping to build a legacy for future generations.

This raises the question: Why do we accept the status-quo? Why should we continue to live like past generations? Why do we continue repeating things that have painful outcomes? Why don’t we initiate something new? What fears are holding us back? Why don’t we do everything within our power to reach our God-given potential? In many ways, it seems as though we are stuck in a loop, and thus in today’s technology-driven world someone clever might just ask: Why don’t we just break the simulation?

What would it take for us to see that it was we ourselves who held the key to our own transformation all along? That we are the ones who write our own destiny, with how we choose to live our lives, with what we choose to learn, unlearn, and relearn, with what we choose to let go and leave behind, with what we choose to envision and create, and what we choose to cherish and value. What would it take for us to see that the decision is ours, and ours alone, and has been so from day one? And so yet again, I ask you this: Why do we accept the status-quo and settle for less?

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

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Get the Book: Awaken the Living Awareness Within – Discover the Keys to Happiness, Inner Peace & Harmony

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[ Click » here « to read the next part: On Change and Transformation 2/3 – Prologue: Part X ]

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Extra Material: Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"

~ ∞ ~ On Reality and Actuality 2/2 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

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In the previous chapters, we learned the difference between knowledge and wisdom; consciousness and awareness; soul and spirit; Life and life. These distinctions come in handy when we briefly delve into the topic of reality. In a beautiful and fascinating way, these terms come together in this chapter – you see, previously we learned that our Souls are not contained within the limits of our bodies, but instead our bodies are contained within the limitlessness of our Souls – this is a key insight to keep in mind.

The same applies when we talk about reality – our reality is not contained within the limits of our definitions, but instead our reality is contained within the limitlessness of our Spirit. This brings us to an important point: reality is not just singular but plural, which means that there are multiple realities – each of us inhabit our own reality, and somewhere in-between these realities converge to form a consensus reality – more on this later. In other words, reality is multi-faceted and elusive – there are layers of realities within other realities – see?

Reality itself is not a concept, nor is it some abstract theoretical construct; but of course it can be, if one so insists – but then it would not be real, would it? This brings us to another important point: our sense of reality is very much learned – we learn it from our families, our schools, our cultures; we are steeped in a particular perception of reality from the moment we are born.

Indeed, our whole lives we are told who we are by our society and our culture; we are force-fed beliefs about what is real and what is not – like a sponge we absorb everything without ever stopping to think and consider and question. This is how our perception of reality is learned – it is structured by language and by cultural paradigms. Out of all this, we accumulate a fixed perception of reality.

This is where the term ‘consensus reality’ comes into play. You see, just in the same way as endless interconnected pieces come together to form life – like the colors of the spectrum, so in the same way does consensus reality: it is a spectrum of interconnected experiences. Consensus reality, therefore, refers to an agreed-upon concepts of reality which people in the world, or a culture or group believe are real (or treat as real), usually based upon their common experiences as they believe them to be.

These beliefs are so deeply ingrained in us that if someone challenges those beliefs, cognitive dissonance can happen, which results in a defensive outburst. This is where we go off the rails – big time; not only is our individual perception of reality skewed, but also our collective perception, as well – largely guided by those beliefs ingrained in us, you see?

On a deeper level, this means that our collective perception of reality is programmed to validate the beliefs we hold. In other words, consensus reality is a self-fulfilling prophecy, a limitation, a box – it defines our expectations, and because we only perceive what we expect to perceive, it limits us.

There is a certain irony in this truth: consensus reality endures because there is an audience for it, and yet, deep down in our core, in our hearts and minds, at the very core of our humanity, we all know that concensus reality is just that – a collection of agreed-upon concepts and beliefs.

This brings us to an important conclusion: ultimately, reality is our immediate experience within the present moment, and yet, paradoxically enough, the reality that is described in spiritual and religious texts all around the world is totally different from what we understand as reality in our day-to-day lives. This would suggest that there is a deeper, underlying Reality inviting us all into a deeper and more profound relationship with “All That Is.”

Reality is all around us and within us, but our perception of it is limited, which is another way of saying that Reality is more than what we perceive it to be; more than what we think it is. What we see as nature is not nature itself in its entirety, but a projection of our limited method of perception. This means that we cannot see the actuality of Reality, but we can experience it from within ourselves – see?

Against this backdrop, we can easily draw the conclusion that Reality is everything and nothing at the same time. Indeed, if we look deeper, we can find that everything is nothing – and nothing is everything, and everything is everything at the same time.

You see, Reality is an interconnected whole, which means that the whole of humanity is a microcosm of a larger Cosmic structure, but our individual experiences don’t exactly account for the whole. In other words, reality is a spectrum of interconnected experiences, and our perceptual experiences are filtered through our sensory system and brain to produce a limited perception of Reality.

That said, we can conclude this chapter with the following words: this book delves deeper into this underlying Reality, and you are more than welcome to join this incredible journey with me as your guide. Because language cannot ever describe the true essence of our existence, we are forced to use signs and symbols in an effort to re-connect with the Life-force that runs through everything.

As such, there are very few ways to express something that is very much inexpressible, and so we need some tools to help us on our way; the best available tools in our toolbox are ideas, concepts, and analogies – their purpose is to make us see ourselves in a new way, to see beyond the conditioned mind and to realize that what is truly Real is the Spirit that lives within you, as you.

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

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Get the Book: Awaken the Living Awareness Within – Discover the Keys to Happiness, Inner Peace & Harmony

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[ Click » here « to read the next part: On Change and Transformation 1/2 – Prologue: Part X ]

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Extra Material: Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"

~ ∞ ~ On Reality and Actuality 1/2 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

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This chapter briefly focuses on the subject of reality and actuality – it will serve as an appetizer, which will give you just enough to ignite the spark of interest, but not too much to overwhelm you with the details. More in-depth exploration of the subject is provided throughout the book in its several sections, where step by step, more concepts and analogies are introduced, through which we can grasp and understand this multifaceted subject in more detail. So without a further due, let us delve right into it, shall we?

Before we move any further, we should discuss the difference between reality and actuality; both are paradoxical as we come to learn later. These terms are often confused because of their closeness of meaning and the subtlety of their differences. Nonetheless, there is a fundamental difference between the two, and knowing the difference is paramount if one is to better understand their own being. In a nutshell, reality is what we perceive; actuality is what truly is. Reality, therefore, is the description of actuality.

Actuality is universal, whereas reality is independent: what is real to me may not be real to you. This means that reality is always subjective – we generate our own reality from our perceptions; the conclusion being that reality is malleable and elusive. And yet, in spite of this, we rarely consider that reality could be experienced in various different ways, in various different flavors.

Let us go a little further with this, shall we? When we consider that we are Spiritual beings temporarily occupying physical bodies to accommodate our presence in this material world, we should consider our body to be real but the Spirit to be actual. We often make the mistake of confusing reality with actuality – this is why we tend to identify ourselves with our bodies; it is the most real thing there is, is it not?

Yet, it is our aliveness – our awareness, our core essence as Spirit that is actual; that which knows the world; that which recognizes the body. It has no shape, no form; it is not a person, it does not begin or end, it is not here or there – yet, it is totally real but completely intangible. Hence, it goes without saying that it takes a fair paradigm shift*1 to make the step in understanding that we are not our bodies. You see, our bodies are vehicles in which we travel, but it is the traveller that is the “I,” and not the vehicle in which the road is travelled – see?

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*1 A paradigm is the collection of ideas and assumptions that pass from one generation to the next and which seem to be immutable. The paradigm shift, then, is when the paradigm shifts. In this process, everything that no longer serves its purpose – begins to fade away, to be replaced with something else; and with it goes all the old, outdated and outmoded structures that are limiting us. This in turn gives way to a new understanding, a new way of seeing, a new way of living, being, and doing. Paradigm shifts are necessary for growth and transformation. This area is explored more in detail in the section titled TRANSFORMATION, in a chapter Metaphysical Paradigm Shift.

So now that we know the difference between the two, let us explore this further. Reality is a fascinating topic that has been endlessly debated since humans developed the ability to think. From that moment onwards we have asked the question: What is real? Is it the apparent reality which is visible and perceptible by the ordinary senses, or is it the reality one comes across in dreams? This raises the question of what is real? And further, what is reality? Well, the answer is not so straightforward – you see, there are as many answers as there are people who ask. Hopefully this book will give some clarity as to what reality is to you.

That said, it should be emphasized that knowing and understanding yourself is the key in understanding reality, and making the distinction between reality and Reality; the former mentioned refers to the surface-level reality and the latter to the deeper underlying Ultimate Reality. The significance of this distinction should become more apparent as the discussion in this book develops. This brings about the question: Can we ever really understand reality? We can, but not in the way we think. You see, it’s not a scientific, or philosophical question, but rather a spiritual question.

Now, someone who subscribes to the scientific paradigm might get triggered and defend themselves by arguing that religion cannot give us answers either. By the same token, one might continue by asking: If religion cannot provide us with answers as to when the universe arose, or the processes by which the universe has changed through time – how can it answer questions regarding reality? These are scientific questions, are they not? After which they may pause for a while and reflect on their stance and continue by asking: How come science cannot provide us with answers?

Well, first of all, the emphasis is on the word ‘spiritual,’ which means that physical sciences are unable to give answers to such “eternal” questions like “What is real?,” or “What is reality?” since they cannot be answered from the scientific point of view. These are subjective questions, are they not? Secondly, we should remind ourselves of the fact that the purpose of science is not to understand reality anymore than it is to understand life – it is to advance technology, is it not? Thirdly, in science, there are no facts – there are data and models, and all models are provisional and incomplete. The scientific community, therefore, cannot provide us with accurate and coherent descriptions of the actuality of reality.

By the same token, philosophy is not much help either – it only adds to the confusion. You see, philosophy is all about other people’s ponderings, thoughts, and wonderings about various topics; the questions that arise are often posed as problems to be resolved, but you see, not all questions are meant to be answered – at least not in logical terms that might satisfy our intellect. Therefore, philosophy will not get us any closer to the Truth we are seeking – which is, ultimately, very much subjective. In other words, there is no closure; the closest we can ever get is to live in the light of mystery.

That said, it should be noted that if we are willing to explore new horizons, we can find the answers we seek; the answers we seek can emerge from a deeper understanding born of the union of heart and mind. You see, the Mystery of Life and Reality unfolds itself as you grow in understanding of yourself and Life within you. The search for greater meaning in life may therefore become more important in this regard. Let us explore this further.

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

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Get the Book: Awaken the Living Awareness Within – Discover the Keys to Happiness, Inner Peace & Harmony

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[ Click » here « to read the next part: On Reality and Actuality 2/2 – Prologue: Part IX ]

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Extra Material: Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"

~ ∞ ~ On God, Spirit and Soul 2/2 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

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Now that we have established an understanding of our spiritual nature, we can go one step further by acknowledging that there is a clear distinction between the Soul and the Spirit. These terms are often used interchangeably, although there is a profound difference between the two. So what is the difference, you may ask?

Soul is the unique expression of that Spark of God, which is sometimes referred to as the “Breath of Life,” whereas the Spirit is that Spark of God itself. Soul is the essence of all that makes us human and unique – our feelings, emotions, experiences, memories, thoughts, will, etc.; Spirit is the essence of our Divine nature – it is same in every being (human, animal, plant, or other).

Spirit is always present in our life – we are an expression of its Infinite Awareness, manifest in flesh and blood – it holds all of Creation. This means that we and Spirit are inseparable – all of Creation is within each and every one of us. The Spirit is not born, nor does it die – it springs from the Eternal Now; it is unborn, permanent, unchanging, primordial. The Spirit that lives within us is not destroyed when the body ceases to exist. This brings us yet another step closer to finding the key to a deeper understanding of ourselves.

Here we should challenge ourselves by asking the question: Is it possible that we could see humans not through reified concepts such as ‘person’, ‘soul’ or ‘self’, but to see ourselves and our fellow human beings through the lens of perfect understanding – as empty of inherent, unchanging permanent self. This means that at the highest level of understanding there is no need to identify as a person, soul or self. There is just pure being, pure awareness – unchanging state free from all ideas, concepts, and definitions.

Of all the words we have in our vocabulary, awareness is best suited to describe our core essence, for you see, whatsoever you can see, whatsoever you can understand, and whatsoever you can interpret – will not be of much use. This is because the seer is not the seen, which goes on to say that whatsoever you can see – you are not that. This includes thoughts, feelings, dreams, desires, memories, imaginations, projections, and so on and so forth. What you are, though, is awareness; and awareness is transcendental to all that it can see – the observer is beyond the observed.

Indeed, if we look deeply into ourselves, we can see that there is nothing to hold on to, nothing permanent and unchanging. Our body, feelings, thoughts, and perceptions are all flowing and changing from moment to moment. And so you see, from the previous, it becomes clear that we are more akin to a living process than anything else. This process or wave aspect of reality brings out the truth that there are no fixed, unchanging entities – including an entity called self; rather, there is a kind of activity – a swirling river of flow and change.

That said, it is important to note that the lack of a self does not mean lack of continuity, for you see, continuity occurs in the same way that a flame is transferred from one candle to another – seamlessly. In this sense, our core essence as Spirit or Spark of God flows through life, reality, existence much in the same way as water flows in a river, you see?

You simply move with it, you float with it – you don’t try to push the river, you become one with it, and the river takes you to the ocean, you see? In this context, if one would like to use such terms as Soul or Self to understand the essence that moves through the river of life, then it is only fitting to highlight the following: like a river flowing into the sea, the Soul or Self eventually returns to its Source, becoming one with the Ultimate Truth. Even though each path is unique and different, they all lead to the same final goal or destination – eventually; absorption of Soul or Self into the Ultimate Reality, you see?

As it turns out, there is a term for this type of understanding, that we are more akin to a living process than anything else. This non-self or “anatta” as it is called in Sanskrit, refers precisely to the idea that there is no unchanging, permanent self in living beings. At first, it may be difficult to grasp the idea of non-self, but eventually it is liberating because it allows us to see that we are bigger than any of our transient experiences.

That is to say, feelings are just feelings, emotions are just emotions, and thoughts are just thoughts – they are not us – see? So if we are not our bodies, feelings, emotions, and thoughts – what are we then? Well, these are questions you might find answers within yourself as you progress reading this book. More to the point: non-self does not mean that people are not real, but rather that there is a sense in which they are constantly changing. In other words, we are something quite different from what we think we are.

Before we move on to the next chapter, we would do well to summarize what this chapter has taught us about God, Spirit and Soul. Let us start with the latter two, as they are easier to summarize. From the aforementioned discussion, it becomes clear that our Souls are not contained within the limits of our bodies, but instead our bodies are contained within the limitlessness of our Souls.

In the same sense, our Souls are contained within the limitlessness of our Spirit, which is a Spark of God that lives within us as a unique expression of the Divine. And so you see, we are something quite different from what we think we are; we are more akin to a living process than anything else – see?

Having said that, we can now move on to God. Here are the essentials. We can easily draw the following conclusions from this chapter: God is One, and prevails in everything. God is a mystery, and this mystery can be known, for God is indescribable, yet knowable and perceivable to anyone who is willing to follow the path of Wisdom and merge with the Divine Will.

You see, human life presents an opportunity to merge with the Divine Will; it is our free will, through which we are given the opportunity to return to God; to return to Oneness with God, and thus get in touch with the Truth and Source of all True Knowledge directly. For you see, God is the Word of Life, that is, Truth, by which The Miracle of Life is made possible.

And so you see, there is but one all pervading Spirit, and it is called the Truth; it exists in all Creation; it is timeless, universal, and self-existent. God is the Creator and the Creation – Cause and the Effect; the Doer and the Deed. God is Omnipotent, the sole cause of Creation, Preservation, and Destruction. The beginning of this universe, and its end is in God – for you see, there is but one First Cause that has its Being of itself, and on which all other beings depend; there is but one Infinite Being, so there is but One God – see?

– God is Infinite – Self-Existing, without Origin;
– God is Immutable – Never Changes;
– God is Omnipotent – All Powerful;
– God is Omniscient – All-Knowing;
– God is Omnipresent – Always Everywhere;
– God is Wise – Full of Perfect, Unchanging Wisdom;
– God is Faithful, Good, and Just;
– God is Merciful, Compassionate, and Kind;
– God is Gracious, Loving, and Holy;
– God is Glorious, Beautiful, and Great.

In closing, there are a few more aspects to consider. For a deeper exploration of the subject, it is recommended to read the following books: 1.) God and the New Cosmology: The Anthropic Design Argument by Michael Anthony Corey, and 2.) The Phenomenon of Man by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. These wonderful literary works might enable one to see and understand the concept of God in a more open-minded way.

When combined with D.T. Suzuki’s books on Zen, Alan Watts’ philosophical works on Eastern and Western religion, and Fritjof Capra’s books on holistic approach to life – covering varied subjects from Philosophy, Religion, and Science to Systems Thinking and Systems Intelligence, Interconnectedness, and Ecology – one might begin to pierce the veil between ordinary life and the mysterious regions of the Soul – into greater understanding, overstanding, and Innerstanding.

For those who might be interested even more detailed exploration – it is advisable to take a look at Perennial philosophy. In short, the Perennial philosophy is a perspective that views each of the world’s religious traditions as sharing a single, universal truth on which foundation all religious knowledge and doctrine has grown. According to this view, each world religion, including but not limited to Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto, Sikhism, and Buddhism – is an interpretation of this universal truth adapted to cater for the psychological, intellectual, and social needs of a given culture of a given period of history.

Having said that, it is good to keep in mind that these suggestions are merely guidelines through which the reader might gain some needed perspective. Ultimately, one has to do their do diligence, which is another way of saying that you have to do some research to find and recognize what works for you. This is because each individual is uniquely different and so is their path. On that note, there is no one particular path, like the Chinese Proverb tells us: “There are many paths to the top of the mountain, but the view is always the same,” see?

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

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[ Click » here « to read the next part: On Reality and Actuality – Prologue: Part IX ]

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Extra Material: Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"

~ ∞ ~ On God, Spirit and Soul 1/2 - Awaken the Living Awareness Within ~ ∞ ~

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This chapter focuses on the ideas of God, Spirit and Soul. The discussion we are having in these following few pages will be a challenging one to say the least. Indeed, it is not an easy task in any way. Nevertheless, I have done my best in conveying the underlying message in as neutral way as possible.

Before we bring God into our discussion, let us make one thing clear: it is important to keep in mind that comprehending the message of this book requires no belief or faith, but simply a common sense approach to life and presence in one’s own being.

As an opening remark, it should be stated that there’s no denying that God is present in all that we call life. This statement encapsulates the essence of this book remarkably well, and it should become more obvious as we move forward through this book; and when you have finished reading this book, it is highly probable that you may arrive at the conclusion that everything points to an Intelligently Designed Universe, and that Life really is a Living Miracle.

For curiosity’s sake, it is worth mentioning that in recent years, modern science has discovered that the underlying structural details of the entire universe have been “fine-tuned” toward the goal of producing biological life. Isn’t that, indeed, another way of saying the same – a scientist’s way of coming to terms with the improbable odds of life ever existing at all?

Having said that, we should keep in mind that here, in this book, we use the word ‘God’ to represent whatever we humans collectively conceive the Universal Conscious Presence to be. It is simply a metaphor for the transcendent – pointing to the great mystery beyond the limited human mind.

When we are referring to the concept of a Higher Power or Creator, it is vitally important to remember that this ‘being’ or Essence is known throughout the world by many different names, including God, Goddess, Higher Power, Divine Spirit, Ultimate Being, the Absolute, Lord, Inner Light, Life Source, Allah, Tao, Spirit, the Way, Universal Love etc. Essentially, it matters not what name we call it – in essence, at the deepest level, they all mean the same – see?

By the same token, it is worth noting that throughout the years the word ‘God’ has been misused so much that it has lost its original meaning. Certainly it is the most burdened of all human words, and precisely for that reason it is the most imperishable and unavoidable. Hence it is obvious that this particular word is seen here and there throughout this book. This is because we need a common frame of reference – otherwise we could not transcend beyond limiting beliefs, ideas and concepts.

That said, we can move the conversation forward by pointing out the obvious: humans are curious beings who are always eager to pin everything down, categorize, label, define, or explain that which they don’t understand. This happens even in those situations where they know the odds are clearly against them.

So if someone would try to define, or better yet, explain God – after a long and thorough examination, they would arrive at the conclusion that God is the Eternal Logos*1, through which all things are made, as Divine: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

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*1 The phrase “the Word” is a translation of the Greek word “Logos.”

And so you see, God is the Original Thought, from which everything springs forth; from which everything else emanates, on which everything else depends, around which everything else is formed, takes shape, evolves and grows. In other words, God is the Word of Life, that is, Truth, by which The Miracle of Life is made possible. And this, from the human point of view, is the furthest we can go in our attempt to explain God.

Logos is the First and the Last,
the Beginning and the End.
Logos is the Source of Silence,
the Heart of Life.
Logos is the Source of
Sincerity and Love.
Logos is the Spirit,
the Source of every
Soul and Heart.
Logos is the Source of Truth,
the Source of All Life,
for All Life is Truth. See?

Here it should be emphasized that we all know deep in our hearts that all attempts to define God are but human metaphors; all explanations are but allegories for the mind to conceive God. The problem arises when we start to confuse descriptions and explanations with the actuality of God. One should not make the mistake of confusing the idea with the essence itself. You see, the essence is not the same as the description or explanation of it.

This brings us to an important point: at our stage of spiritual evolution, it is futile to try to explain the true nature of God, apart from saying that God “IS,” and is “ALL THINGS,” which brings us to another important point: explanations, theories and hypotheses alike, are just that – conceptualizations that doesn’t bring us any closer to God.

You see, the human mind can only understand so much, as its ability to comprehend is limited by the walls of its container. To go beyond the thinking mind, one becomes dissolved in something far more powerful – becoming part of something much greater – beyond ourselves; and in this becoming, one is able to pierce the veil between ordinary life and the mysterious regions of the Soul – into greater Innerstanding. And so you see, the transcendent nature of God can only be experienced through one’s innermost being. These following words from Lao Tzu, in Tao Te Ching, encapsulates this ancient insight most eloquently:

“The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name. The Tao is both named and nameless. As nameless it is the Origin of All Things; as named it is the Mother of 10,000 things. Ever desireless, one can see the mystery; ever desiring, one sees only the manifestations. And the mystery itself is the doorway to all understanding.”

And now, as we come back to the idea of “Original Thought,” considering the aforementioned discussion, it becomes not only clear but self-evident that because God is the Word of Life, that is, Truth, by which The Miracle of Life is made possible – it means that this thought preceded any other, and it has no beginning nor end; yet, it embraces and contains all things and phenomena found in the universe, including us humans.

Thus, in some explanations God is seen as the circumference which is everything and the center which is nowhere. Everything springs from this singular source, so everything is interdependent and interconnected, which means that everything arises in dependence upon multiple causes and conditions; nothing, therefore, exists as a singular, independent entity.

In other words, the Original Thought is no-thing and every-thing at the same time, and yet it is neither nothing nor everything; although it is beyond the finite and the infinite, it also embraces and constitutes both of them. Hence, the Original Thought is both the cause and effect at the same time, and yet, it is neither. In other words, cause and effect “inter-are.” To give an analogy: this is, because that is; this is not, because that is not; this ceases to be, because that ceases to be.

From this, we can conclude that understanding yourself is the key element in understanding God, for we are created from that Original Thought, after all – which also means that God lives in each and every one of us – as a reminder, we have been gifted with a Spark of Life. This brings us nicely to a discussion about the idea of a Soul or Spirit.

We can start with the following question: Why does it appear to be the case that for some reason it’s difficult for us to recognize that we are perhaps something much more than the physical body we inhabit?

This being the case, we tend to think in terms of a separate and permanent self, which leads us to use the terms “Soul” or “Spirit” in our attempt to describe that which is within our body, that which gives us our personality, that essence which ultimately animates our body – our Life Force. For our convenience, we use those terms interchangeably, without thinking if there is somewhat a difference or not.

Whatever our spiritual views or beliefs may be, one thing is certain: having faith in the Divine, or the universe, or ourselves is a huge blessing in life. Regardless of our differing views, most of us believe in the idea of a Soul or Spirit – the part of us that makes us who we are.

One common element is a belief in an invisible, Divine part of us that lives on in some way even after the body has taken its last breath – a Spark of God that lives within us as a unique expression of the Divine. Against this backdrop, is it so hard to imagine that much like our physical bodies change and evolve over time – so do our Souls? Wouldn’t it make perfect sense, then, that Souls get stronger as they gain experience and grow wiser as they learn through experience; eventually remaining Self-Aware of their True Essence?

From this observation, it becomes obvious that we are more than just our bodies and minds, which is another way of saying that we are essentially Spiritual Beings. Certainly this is not a new idea, but an ancient idea, according to which this inherent, innate essence is the animating force of our essential reality. These following words from Meister Eckhart, crystallizes this ancient insight most eloquently:

The Soul is not in the body; the body is in the Soul.

Another way of saying the same, by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin:

We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.

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~ ॐ ~ Sambodhi Padmasamadhi ~ ∞ ~

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Get the Book: Awaken the Living Awareness Within – Discover the Keys to Happiness, Inner Peace & Harmony

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[ Click » here « to read the next part: On God, Spirit and Soul 2/2 – Prologue: Part VII ]

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Extra Material: Video: You're It - Alan Watts. Video description: "An inspiring and profound speech from the late Alan Watts. Speech extract from 'Zen Bones and Tales' by Alan Watts"